6 FIREWORKS OF THE FIELD. Firefly, firefly, but a twinkle floating by, Bomet Imrs burning In the buahia, sometime* gleaming In the sky. Like a gleam from a dream, or a fragment of sunbeam. Sparkling spangles on the darkness which like golden Ingots seem. Winking light. In thy flight, swift winged magnet of the night. Dost thou know, small electrician, thou hast left man out of sight? Flame so fleet, lacking heat, thou canst endless repeat What our best Inventors covet and seek for, to be beat. Now confess, mlte or lea®— that thy secret may bless— How thy flickering flame Is kindled minus money or distress; How thy clear and steady lamps burn through rains and dewy damps, Till the meadows pearled with moisture look like countless lighted camps. Dost thou ever cross thy wires, dost thou singe by thy own fires. Dost thou ring a lire alarm when thy small flame to rise aspires? Dost thou have to bo "put out" when th.e urchins run and shout. And thy flame some think so tame all reg ulations puts to rout? Not at all, headlight small, though men think they know It all. Thou c«.nst regulate thy beacon In the tempest or the squall; Men's own smoldering Inward fires, little transient Ills and Ires, Often run amuck and change Into destruc tive funeral pyres. Firefly, firefly, signal me In passing by, I have been thy friend from boyhood and have loved to see thee nigh; Bright tn thee let me see, beacon on life's shores a-lee, Sample gleam sent to remind us of the bet ter light to be. I. EDGAR JONES. I A CLEW BY WIRE | 3 Or, An Interrupted Current. tf i BY HOWARD M. YOST. § J Copyright, 1896, by J. B. Lipplncott Co. £ CHAPTER 111. What could It mean! My head swam, my breath came in gasps, the cold per spiration broke out on my forehead and rolled down my face, for a few mo menst I stood with every muscle par alyzed. Then I sank down upon the ledge and covered my face with my hands. The porter, who had just come into the vault in answer to my summons, approached me. "What's the. matter, Mr. Conway? Are you sick?" he asked. His question partially aroused me. "Call the president and the treasurer, Mason. Quick! Tell them to come into the vault," I managed to gasp. "Why—why—what can be the mat ter?" the porter exclaimed. I sprang to my feet and confronted him. I cannot tell what expression was on my face, but he slowly edged away from me. "Good God, man! don't stop to ques tion! Go, quick!" He went out imme diately at my vehement appeal, and Boon the president and the treasurer came bustling in. "What's up, Conway?" the president, Mr. Perry, asked. "Why, man alive, how white you are!" he added, looking eearcliingly at me. "Oh, sir, what shall I do?" hardly knowing in my consternation what I •was saying. "It's gone! all gone!" "What's all gone? Your wits? Are you sick?" Mr. Perry asked. Here the treasurer uttered an ex clamation and pointed toward the re serve vault. Mr. Perry craned his neck and glanced inside. Then he turned quickly to me, and his face was as white as his shirt bosom. "Why, God Almighty, Conway, where's all your currency?" he asked, in hoarse tones. "I don't know, sir. I left—" I began, but the president cut me short. "Is it that that's gone? You mean Btolen? llow could it be? Who could have entered the vault? You did not forget to lock up yesterday, did you?" he asked, with terrible earnestness. "No, indeed," I answered. "The vault was locked at usual. I set the timepiece for half past eighti I ex pected to be on hand and get things in uhape for the examining committee." "And you have juut discovered the loss?" "Yes, sir. I went cut of town last evening, and returued but a few min ites ago." "So then the lock was unprotected by the timepiece a whole hour before the bookkeepers arrived," Mr. Perry said, Vvith a most piercing glance thrown at me. "Jackson promised me he would be here in my place," I faltered. "Jackson! What has he to do with the vault? lie doesn't know the com bination, does he?" "No, sir. It was only to have an em ploye in the room after the timepiece had run down, that I asked him to be present." "Call Jackson," Mr. Perry requested of the treasurer. While that gentleman was gone on his errand, Mr. Perry and I made a hasty search through the other com partments. We found some of them in disorder, and, judging from appear ances, many bonds missing. The president was completely over whelmed by this new discovery. He stood gazing ut me with a look of the greatest anguish on his white, drawn face. "Oh, Mr. Perry," I cried, "as God hears me, I know nothing about this. Oh, be lieve me, I am innocent." "No one has accused you, Conway, so far," he replied, seriously, and with sig nificance. "You cannot think I had anything to do with it," I went on. "You know I have never betrayed any trust which I have held in this bank." "My God! I don't knew what to think. I can't think. You never told anyone the combination?" the president sud denly asked. "Oh, no, no; I have never breathed a figure of it to a living soul," I answered, earnestly. "Who besides yourself knows how to open the vault?" "The bond teller and the receiving teller," I replied. "And they are away on their vaca tions, are they not?" "Yes, sir," 1 faltered, for I divined the meaning of his questions. Here the treasurer returned, followed by Jackson. "Were you here this morn ing at the time you promised Mr. Con way you would be?" the president asked Jackson. Jackson glanced around in surprise at the group he saw inside the vault. "It was an impossibility for me to ful fill my promise," he answered. "An aunt of mine over in Camden who has been ill for some time died last even ing, and, as I am her sole relative and heir to what little she possessed, I was compelled togo over to Camden last night. I expected to return in time to keep my word with Mr. Conway. But I was unable to complete the arrange ments for the funeral andj some other minor matters relating to the will until this morning, and I had only just ar rived at the bank when Mr. Smithson (the treasurer) informed me you wished to see me." Then he added. In deep concern: "I sincerely hope the inability to keep my promise has not been the cause of any trouble." "Well, whatever trouble there may be, the blame certainly cannot be at tached to you, Mr. Jackson, under the circumstances you have mentioned. You mny return to your work," Mr. Per ry said, after a long pause. "I intended to ask leave of absence for a few days," Jackson began, in a hesitating manner. "But if anything has happened which would prevent your granting it—" "No, no, nothing has happened which would keep you here. Your request Is granted. Every consideration must give way to death," Mr. Perry re sponded. Jackson thanked the president in his quiet and courteous way and left the vault. "It is past the time for beginning business," the treasurer suggested. The remark aroused Mr. Perry from the troubled and perplexed state the loss of the money had plunged him into. "Is there any cash In the vault?" he asked. "Yes, sir. All the gold and silver and the receipts of yesterday seem to be here," I replied. "Well, get your money out to the windows as quickly as you can, Con way, then come to my room. Mr. Smith son, call the police, and send messen gers to the trustees for an immediate meeting. God, what a report to give them!" With a heavy heart and a feeling that I was treading on the verge of a preci pice I obeyed his behest. Then I went to his office. Before the door leading out into the vestibule one of the special police of the bank was standing. I smiled bitterly, as I recognized the fact that steps had already been taken to prevent my leaving the bank. Mr. Perry was walking the floor; he motioned to me to be seated. "The trus tees will wish to interview you," he said, significantly. "Well, let them. They'll get nothing out of ine," I replied, doggedly. The president paused in his walk and threw a searching glance at me. "I would advise you not to incriminate yourself, Conway, before you are ac cused," he said, coldly. I started to my feet. "I mean just what I say, Mr. Perry. I understand the position I am in. Why, sir, even you, who have been my best friend'—l can see, even you, whom I have never given the least cause to doubt my hon esty, suspect me." There was such a look came into his face, such a sad look, that it quite un manned me. "Nelson," he began, "I don't wish to doubt you. I have always considered you one of my safe men. But do you not see, my boy, what is against you? You are the youngest man that has ever held such an important position as you hold in this bank. There was considera ble opposition to giving you the place on account of your youth. But I insisted on your advancement and pledged my official word that 3'ou would prove faithful to the trust. I had such con fidence in you that I did not even con sider it necessary to put you on your guard by telling you this at the time." "There was no necessity, sir, to put me 011 my guard. My duties would not have been performed any better or more honestly and faithfully had I known this. I thank you for your kindness, however." Stung by his implied doubt of me. and knowing my absolute innocence and how I had given my best efforts in the discharge of my duties, I had straightened ujr-proudly. My grandfather before he died had written on the fly-leaf of a primer of mine: "Be strong in adversity; that stamps the man!" I did not realize the full meaning of the words then. But they came to me now in full force. "I am sorry I gave way so. It was a foolish fear. 1 am innocent of any wrong, and I am confident that my in nocence will be proved some time. Un til it is, I will try to bear the suspicion as patiently as possible," I said, calmly. Here some members of the examining committee came hurriedly in. "What is this I hear?" "llow did it happen?" "Whom do you suspect ?" These were some of the exclamations that reached my car as they crowded around the president. One by one the trustees came in. One of the last to arrive was Mr. Morley, but he passed onto the committee room without noticing me. I thought of Florence, and wondered what she would think of it all. After my happiness of the evening before, to be crushed under such a blow of fate was most cruel. But I resolved not to bo CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1898. crushed. There came to me a kind of exhilaration o* spirit in making this resolve, and when, after awhile, I was summoned before the trustees, it nerved ine for the ordeal through whieh I knew I must pass. After telling all I knew, which I did in as concise a manner as possible, a deluge of questions was hurled at me, nearly every one of the 18 or 20 mem bers of the board taking a hand in the cross-examination. "You say you were out of town last night and did not return until a few minutes before ten this morning?" asked one of the vice presidents. "Yes, sir," I answered. "You have not stated where you were, and how you spent the time," the man continued. "Perhaps the re maining trustees share with me a nat ural curiosity to know this?" I hesitated in giving answer, noticing which my questioner glanced around triumphantly, as though he had scored a point against me. "You do not answer," he finally said. "'Of course j - ou need not if your answer will criminate yourself." "It is not the fear of criminating my self that causes me to hesitate in my answer," I replied, casting aft appealing glance in the direction of Mr. Morley. That gentleman turned his eyes to ward me, and I thought there was rather a pleased expression about them, ne smiled gravely and bowed his head. "I spent the evening at Mr. Morley's place in Fairlawn," I quietly said, in terpreting that g, ..tlcman's inclination of his head as permission to tell. My answer created some surprise, and all eyes were turned upon Mr. Morley Such were that gentleman's position and standing that the mere fact that I had visited at his house produced a change in the manner of questioning me. The questions were couched in more respectful terms. "And where did you go from Mr. Mor ley's place?" the examiner went on. "To the Fairlawn hotel," I replied. "You did not immediately return to the city?" "No, sir, for the reason that I could not. There was no train until the morning." "And you were on that train?" "I was on that train, and arrived in town at a quarter before ten," I calmly replied. "You may be. compelled to prove that," continued the vice president, sig nificantly. "Very well, sir; I can do so whenever It is necessary." Here Mr. Morley, who had been only a listener until now, spoke in his grave, "You do not answer." he finally said. dignified manner, and the deferential way the trustees hearkened to Lis words was an indication of the high regard in which he was held. "We are wasting time," he said. "This method of procedure is futile. I will say that Mr. Conway was a guest at my house last evening. How he spent the time after he left my place I cannot say. But he was on the train this morning, as he said, for I usually take the same train in coming to town, and I saw him." Mr. Morley only stated the cold Tact, but nevertheless that he should speak at all in my defense seemed to me a good omen. I was soon asked to retire. As I went out into the president's room, three or four fellows went in. I knew they were detectives. There is no need to tell of the exam inations I was compelled to submit to by these same detectives, anil how they' tried all their art, wheedling, threat ening, bullying, to get me to confess to a crime I knew nothing of. For all their trou/ble they got nothing from me but the truth. When the trustees' meeting broke up, the president came out to me. "Nelson, if you are guilty, and wish to escape the consequences, now is the time to flee the country. The trustees have decided not to have you arrested just yet," he said, with a smile. "They are very kind, sir. But I wish to be arrested. Nothing would please me better than to stand trial," I replied, defiantly. Mr. Morley came through the room as I spoke, and at my loud tone he threw a glance at me. Whether it indicated disgust at what he might consider bravado, or commendation at my dar ing to take a firm stand on my inno cence, I could not say. "You may go home for the rest of the day, Conway," saicj the president, with out looking at me. "Come to my office in the morning. Don't go into the bank room." I went out unmolested, and slowly walked toward my boarding place. Why should this horrible shadow have fallen, blotting out the bright promising sun shine of my young life? Was it a dream, and would I wake to find it all unreal? Ah, no! The newsboys on the street were already calling: "All about the bank robbery!" and selling their papers rapidly. God help me, It was no dream. CHAPTER IV. All that night I walked the floor, cudgeling my brains over the affair, but could arrive at no satisfactory so- lution. It seemed impossible that the vault should have been opened, and the currency, thelmlk of which would more than till a bushel basket, abstracted. The fact remained, however, that it was gone. On my way down to the bank the fol lowing morning, I bought some news papers, and eagerly read all the ac counts. Every paper, without actually stating the facts in so many words, gave out strong hints that I was some how connected with the affair. 1 no ticed, also, that passers-by looked around after me. Many men with whom I had a bowing acquaintance turned their heads and pretended not to see me. I realized in great bitterness of spirit that I was already a marked man, suspected, and therefore shunned. It is a lamentable fact that often a suspicion of a man runs through the general public without any just reason. The current in such an event is over whelming, and it is useless to try to stem it, as I soon realized. When 1 entered the lobby on my way to Mr. Perry's private office, I was fa vored by having the curious glances of my former associates thrown at me, but only one of them extended to me a salutation. That one was Horace Jackson, and he smiled as he bowed. [TO BB CONTINUED.] A SPIDER FIGHT. In Which the Combatant* Fought Like Small Demons. I once had a spider pet of a kind the books enabled me to identify. He was a line, big fellow. I caught him in the garden, carried him home, and for near ly two months he and I took a close in terest in each other, he for the flies I introduced to him, and I for the amuse ment he introduced to me. I kept him in a milliner's box, letting him out when I visited him, specially delight ing myself and allowing him to drop from one hand by his fine-spun thread, and then either catching him in th» other or gently compelling him to climb back again by apparently eating his own ladder. One day I captured another spider of the same species. I kept him for a few days in a separate box, and then, with the kindly idea of companionship, I in troduced him to "Tiger." I have seen dogs fight; I have seen chanticleer fight and slay his man; I have seen rams fight till, with his skull crushed in, one lay dead ut the foot of the other; I have seen men fight; I have seen women tight—at least they once were women— till they became a confusion of blood and hair and shredded garments; but the fullest sense I ever realized of mad, murderous passion let ungovernably loose, centered in one destroying aim and summoning every physical energy to its devilish service, I realized when those two spiders rushed to mortal combat. I stood In boyish terror at their tangled legs dropped off, torn by mutual rage; and as, with vicious dex terity, they struck each other with their poisoned fangs, using for their own de struction the weapons and appliances with which nature has provided them for the capture and slaughter of their prey, I visibly turned pale. "Tiger" was the victor; but even while with brutal wrath, all mangled as he was, he bit and spurned his dead and limbless foe, he was seized with symptoms I took to be paralytic, and in a minute or two I helped him to his death. And this fearless gladiator was afraid of, I remember, and never would tackle a big blue bottle fly. What is courage?— Manchester (Eng.) News. ARMED FOR EMERGENCIES. Fearless Conraire of the Arctic Ex plorer \nnaen. When Fridtjof Nansen was a young student he attended a ball and danced with many partnera. Returning long after midnight through the streets to his lodgings, he heard loud outcries from a woman who was struggling with two ruffians. In another moment the woman broke away from them and ran toward the spot where Nansen wao standing. The two men were close be hind her in hot pursuit. Nansen was an athlete full of cour age and vigor, and put himself on guard as the men approached. He allowed the woman to pass, but called upon the in furiated pursuers to halt, standing di rectly in their way, and hitting out first at one and then at the other. The ruf fians, angered by this unexpected at tack, turned resentfully upon the res cuer, and would have overpowered him, and possibly have murdered him, if he had not shown presence of mind. Draw ing himself up to hi£ full height and throwing back his cout collar so as to e.u not an officer of the court?" "Y-y-es," replied the bailiff, quaking with fear, "I wuz, but I've done Hung up."—Atlanta Journal. Her Gentle Reminder. "Grace," he began, "between you and me— "Bob," she interrupted, "between you and me there should be nothing." And what could he do, in face of this, but move up to her end of the sofa?— Ainslee's Magazine. Geniality. A quality often found in men whose whole mental and physical organiza tions are kept vigorous by diligence and temperance, and in simple minded men who love fun and comfort without tailing i»to victor folly.—Judfire. SSOO Reward Tke akoee Smr4 wfll ke paid fcr h> fkraaatioa that will lead to the arrest mm MifiMloi of tk« party ar partial via {faced iroa and ilaos oa the track of tke Emporium 4 Rioh VaHer R. R., neat, the east line of Frmaklia Hoealeir's Ikwm, « the ateuai ot MOT. 21 at, ISH. Bdit Accra, M-tf. iVse Urn*. FINE LIQUOR SIORE EMPORIUM, PA. TBX andenrlfned baa opened * BSS ML A. A. MoDONALD, rmoPBXKTom, ncicuDM. FA. .. i &F. X. BLUMLE.g M lUFOBinu, PJI M W Bettlee el Mm ta R & WINES, ¥ & WHISKIES, i M And Liquors of AH Klada. j D Q The beet ef goods always Jl w carried la stack and erary- J D rT thing warranted aa represent- TT R Especial Attentlea Paid te M ft flail Order*. a § EMPORIUM, PA. § / goto y Sj. A- Cluster's, J Breed Street, Emperlum, fl„ 1 J Where yea can g*t anything yea veal la C C the lie* ot 7 s Groceries, ✓ J Provisions, ? P FLOUR, SALT MEATS, S ( SMOKED MEATS, \ J CANNED 80698, ETC., ? J Ttaa, Cafftat, mita, ) S Tataua uU Clprt. C V Oeatla Deifyere* Free any / / Place tat Town. l / cm in sek u in «n rucuA r. nil P. 8 S. DEM? C aapoaiva Bottling Works, MHN McDONALD, Proprietor, ■ear f.ti &•»•*. Cetpeiluß, Pa. •ettlar sad Shipper e# Rochester Lager Beer, m mm er imn The Hiailketgret ef Ml Make aat Dealer la Ofceto) Wtaeeaad Pen Lifiete —— We keep noae bnt the rery bead Boar aad are prepared to fill Orders ea abort notice. Private flunlliee eerred daily if daelred. JOBJT MoDOICALZX. • | r- ~1, and Trade-Maifca obtalaed aad all fta* i ondun4 far Modcratc Feee. ; »OT!AS7BEH. u i& SETO'tEE I:"S3 'Siir.yw pW, erlth